More times than not, remarks such as these came from female friends or acquaintances which leads me to believe that many of us have drunk the kool-aid when it comes to the desirability of women in respect to our ages. The myth that younger women are better, somehow more attractive has really been embedded in our culture and more so into our own psyches. Does leaving my twenties behind mean that I have to change my behavior or only wear certain outfits? Is getting older something that I should be scared of even though not one of us can avoid it?
To call a woman old may be considered one of the greatest insults but my question is why does age even matter? It is a process that every living creature must endure yet women take the most flack when it comes to aging. Evidence of this can be found in the diet or skin care commercials we see, the large droves of women using surgical enhancements or pumping their faces with foreign toxins to acheive a more youthful appearance. I have yet to see one person go under the knife come out looking better than they were before. If we choose to focus on healthy living and taking care of oneself from the inside out we will not only be happier but also naturally fend off the aging process.
Working with a young woman who has dreams of being an artist, she brought up how many of her family members thinks that she is too old to attempt a run at her dreams now. She is only 32 years old! Most people do not reach the pinnacle of their success until well into middle age irregardless of their profession, race, or sex but when it comes to black women we are expected to have reached all of our goals, be married or settled, and behave like Mother Theresa by the age of 35.
It is hard to believe that in 2013 that many people equate getting older as something that is looked down upon or that you suddenly lost all zest for life because you have reached a specific age. I for one could not disagree more with this concept.
